"In a market of 1 billion, a niche can be several million people strong," Littlewood said.

The airport has encouraged a marketing push into the Shanghai wedding market, and said similar niches could be exploited, such as the golfing or the gourmet food and wine markets.

Auckland International Airport is the arrival point for the vast majority of Chinese tourists.

Littlewood said it was easier for the airport to grow Chinese passenger numbers sustainably with existing airlines, like Air New Zealand, China Southern and Cathay Pacific, than by luring new airlines, although "the airport is always looking for new partners to fly here".